After arriving at the hotel, we quickly changed our clothes, grabbed our packs and went directly back to the airport, more specifically, ‘behind’ Barcelona’s El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN) to the Delta de Llobregat. This is a significant natural area in the Catalonia region of Spain, where the Llobregat River with pristine beaches and coastal vegetation harbor marshland, lagoons and dune pine forests. After paying the minimal entrance fee, a quick scamper up the 1st tower
gave us a layout of the delta. It was agreed to make a loop by following the River Trail, then turn inland, and head back to the gate. First up, we find a pair of Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus on the opposite bank. Salt cedar and willow climb up the banks of the Llobregat’s Channel - its shallows matted with the Common Reed (Phragmites).
Gulls navigate its waters, Audouin’s (Icthyaetus audouinii) being the most common.
As with many waterways, the trails (roads) are raised to allow maintenance vehicles access. These borders are the favored habitat for Acrocephalus scirpaceus, the Common Reed Warbler.
It basically wears a drab brown suit over a cream-colored shirt, however, that boring attire is discounted once you hear its brash song.
Maintaining its obscure behavior of flitting about in the undergrowth,
an occasional Cetti’s Warbler, Cettia cetti belts out a song - nearby I find a young bird waiting for its next meal.
Higher up a European Goldfinch, Cardeulis carddeulis, joins the ensemble looking quite dapper in its colorful outfit. The dirt trail is a bit damp revealing the prior night’s activity with tracks from wild boar.
Ascending the 2nd tower reveals a few surprises. This level provided some good looks along the river with a regular flow of
Yellow-legged Gulls, Larus michahellis (This bird is
a regular urbanite, nesting on the city rooftops of highrise buildings!
and Audouin’s Gulls.
Western House Martins (Delichon urbicom) periodically crossed through our sites, too. The bird's large white rump patch and thick forked-tail makes for a quick identification.
A White Wagtaill, Motacilla alba, announces its landing with a sharp “Chipit Chipit” call. Something above has its attention;
I look to the sky for a raptor – nothing!
But as I return my gaze downward, the large white patches of a Bittern’s wings flash across the trail. Before I blink it dives back into obscurity. From here we veer into the interior.
The course leads to a lagoon. House Martins skim over the surface with a sporadic barn swallow or two. Alpine Swifts, Tachymarptis melba, knife their way through the higher altitudes
but Common Swifts, Apus apus, outnumber all aerialists at every level.
It is almost comical watching the commotion amongst Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus) over unseen boundaries. Their long, lanky legs dangling about in flight with each altercation.
Like a pair of polished stones, Stripe-necked Terrapins (Mauremys caspica) sit placidly amid the clatter, luckily like all turtles, they are stone deaf!
At the far end a family of Mallards circle the water for food. Off to the corner, poised and ready to strike, a Gray Heron stands. Here to, the shallow waters harbor a pair of Gull-billed and Whiskered Terns (Gelochelidon nilotica & Childonias hybrida).
Among the lush reedbeds, a handful of Western Cattle egrets can be seen popping up their heads from time to time. The distinct sickle-billed silhouettes of White-faced Ibis fill in the gaps.
Now outnumbering the gulls, Common Wood Pigeons (Columba palumbus) migrate across the interior. I managed to capture one bird coming in for a landing.
The midair entertainment continues with the agile maneuvers from both Common and Alpine Swifts. I try my best to maintain a visual sighting in my lens - let alone keep these skyrockets in focus to capture an image.
Rounding the bend onto the Lagoon trail we meet one of several white horses that call the Delta home; their grazing maintains this open space for waterbirds. Sadly, this mare takes careful strides through the flooded fields, favoring an old injury (a broken leg/hip?). Good thing he was awarded this peaceful location to retire.
Our direction maintains the wetlands to the right with scattered trees and dry fields to the left. Stilts are scattered everywhere within the marsh.
A lone Grayleg Goose (Anser anser) looks a bit muddled, as if contemplating what to do, then, off it goes!
In its wake a flock of starlings descend. These are Spotless Starlings (Sturnus unicolor)
Here is a European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris).
Notes sprinkle down from the sky as a Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) cruises overhead.
Every so often you could spot a Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) bouncing over the fields as it performs its flight display. Thankfully one landed in a small tree for a much better view.
There is little effort pinpointing the screech from a Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus); a species of parrot that has been introduced or escaped throughout many parts of the world.
We leave the swifts and stilts behind, where the wetlands end and trees commence. Along this track comes one of the
best sightings of the trip of a Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops); truly an impressive looking bird, especially when the crest is raised.
Back to where it all commenced, we make the short walk back to the river, “Just because…!” Good thing, it allowed some better looks of the cisticola, European Serin (Serinus serinus), and Goldfinch.
Also, our paths crossed with another birder from Texas. We chatted a bit and when we mentioned our sighting of the Hoopoe, off he went. Just outside the gate a commotion from a family of Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) had us beeline towards the brush. There were four to five fledglings scattered about, the poor parents zip-lined every which way in an attempt to keep offspring away from those “nosey birders!” Being naïve at this age allowed for some nice close-ups.
“That’s a Sardinian Warbler I hear!”
“Where?”
“The bush behind the cisticolas. There it goes across the ditch!”
Slicing through the vegetation, I continue to pursue it from the shoulder of the entrance road. It stays low, never allowing a close look, at times pausing to break into song. So frustrating, especially with a last look of it sitting high in the brush. I had a great opportunity but was obscured by a leafy branch in the foreground that sliced across its face - denying me the sight of those blood-red eyes! Too bad it was not as a brash as the cisticola singing just behind it.
“Oh well, another time!”
Location: Delta del LLobregat - Catalonia, Spain
Date: June of 2024
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